The Dead

"The Dead" by James Joyce comes from the Dubliners collection.  It tells the story of Gabriel, who attends a dinner party with his wife and later that night realizes that she as a girl, she was involved with a young man who essentially died for her because he loved her so much.  I found this story to be great because the protagonist is finally shaken out of his stupor of just ambling through life.  He realizes what passion is, and moreover, that someone felt passion towards his own wife, whom he has taken for granted.  For Gabriel, his epiphany required a revelation from his wife about her past, the reader can take note of Gabriel's situation, and actually start living.